Sunday Times Literary Awards shortlist 2024

Non-fiction Award Criteria

The illumination of truthfulness, especially those forms of it that are new, delicate, unfashionable and fly in the face of power; compassion; elegance of writing; and intellectual and moral integrity.

Here is the non-fiction shortlist in order of the author’s surname:

The Inheritors: An Intimate Portrait of South Africa’s Racial Reckoning by Eve Fairbanks (Jonathan Ball Publishers)

A work of incredible endeavour, more than a decade in the making, as Fairbanks traverses some of the greatest inflection points in post-apartheid South Africa and explores just how the fault lines of ethnicity and culture are driving us ever further apart.

Place: South African Literary Journeys by Justin Fox (Umuzi)

A travelogue, in which the author’s scholarship sits lightly upon his shoulders, as Fox pens a love letter to this land by retracing the steps of some of our most celebrated authors, as he takes stock of their influence on him – and us.

The Plot to Save South Africa: The Week Mandela Averted Civil War and Forged a New Nation by Justice Malala (Jonathan Ball Publishers)

Meticulously researched, beautifully retold and scrupulously fair in finding the heroes while naming and shaming the villains as South Africa teetered on the edge of the abyss, this is a vital – and timely – contribution to our memories of the past.

The Race To Be Myself by Caster Semenya (Jonathan Ball Publishers)

A cautionary tale for bigots the world over, as relevant now as it was when Semenya was running against prejudice across the world. Vulnerable, heart-rending and unflinchingly brave, this is a story that needs to be told again and again, until the hatred abates.

Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage by Jonny Steinberg (Jonathan Ball Publishers)

Telling the tale of a statesman as storeyed as Nelson Mandela is difficult, combining it with the story of another icon in his wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, is remarkably ambitious and fraught with peril. Steinberg does it with skill, courage and sensitivity.

Fiction Prize Criteria

The winner should be a novel of rare imagination and style, evocative, textured and a tale so compelling as to become an enduring landmark of contemporary fiction.

Here is the fiction shortlist in order of the author’s surname:

Buried Treasure by Sven Axelrad (Umuzi)

This adventurous coming-of-age story weaves together diverse characters and worlds that stand in stark contrast with one another. Clever, witty and playful, yet with dark and foreboding shadows.

The Bitterness of Olives by Andrew Brown (Karavan Press)

A harrowing account of a moment of strife, beautifully told. The author, endowed with vivid imagination coupled with acumen and erudition, deftly immerses the reader in a brutal and bewildering landscape. A wholly sublime narrative.

Three Egg Dilemma by Morabo Morojele (Jacana)

A cleverly rendered dystopian novel. The author deftly weaves together the familiar realm of village life, drinking dens and sexual exploration, while exploring the visceral, all against the backdrop of a society on the brink of a military strife.

The Institute for Creative Dying by Jarred Thompson (Picador Africa)

In this debut novel, the author takes the reader by the scruff of the neck and exposes us to tumultuous lives of five characters, where we are compelled to become one with them and imagine the ephemeral nature of our own existence.

Mirage by David Ralph Viviers (Umuzi)

An intriguing narrative that transcends time and space. The plot seamlessly connects the past and the present without impeding the flow of the narrative. Erudite without being pompous or didactic, the author guides the reader through lessons in history, cosmology, and a spectrum of diverse human emotions.

WIN

A GIFT VOUCHER OF R2000

To win a gift voucher of R2000 for Exclusive Books, choose which book is your favourite from either our fiction or non-fiction shortlist and tell us why. Email your answer, name and contact number to shortlist@sundaytimes.co.za. Only one entry per person. Competition closes on Friday 1 November 2024. Ts and Cs apply.